Coconut flour cake has quickly become our stand-by, a staple of birthday celebrations. With a flavor and texture reminiscent of classic yellow cake, this coconut flour cake is a welcome and nourishing alternative to all that refined flour and sugar. So when my son turned five recently, I knew just what cake I’d make to celebrate that momentous occasion. As an added benefit, the cake is free from grains, gluten and dairy products without compromising flavor or texture, meaning that it’s a good dessert for family, friends and guests who may suffer from common food allergies. If you liked the coconut bread, you’ll really enjoy this cake.
Why Use Coconut Flour for Your Cake
Rich in protein and fiber, coconut flour produces a filling and nutrient-dense cake. Typical birthday party fare includes candies, sugary sodas and cakes loaded with white flour, white sugar, hydrogenated fats and powdered sugar. It’s easy to rationalize it: it’s only once a year, the kids deserve their treat. Yet, all those refined carbohydrates come at a great cost to little bodies and developing metabolisms. As any parent who’s attended his or her share of children’s birthday parties knows that the after the sweetness of a birthday cake wears off, the craziness sets in. Little bodies, and big bodies for that matter, just aren’t prepared to handle such an intense rush of refined carbohydrates and manufactured fats. We love healthy treats for kids at Nourished Kitchen, and this gluten-free cake is no exception.
A coconut flour cake, by contrast to traditional birthday cakes, helps to provide better nourishment through protein- and fiber-rich flour coupled with pastured eggs rich in vitamins and nourishing fats. While sweetened by honey, thanks to its rich assortment of proteins, fiber and fat, it still lacks the sugar rush associated with other flour- and sugar-rich cakes, making it a perfect choice for a child’s birthday party.
Similarly, the coconut frosting that accompanies coconut flour cake is also sweetened only by a touch of honey. It lacks the powdered sugar, a combination of sugar and starch, found in most frostings so this coconut frosting is light and fluffy in texture, and it melts readily, so keep the frosted cake chilled in the refrigerator until it’s ready to serve.
Using Coconut Flour
Extremely absorbent, coconut flour benefits from a high ratio of liquid ingredients to flour, and eggs provide the cake with plenty of moistness and a boost of nutrition. You can learn more about baking with coconut flour here.
Where to Find Coconut Flour for Your Cake
You can find coconut flour, coconut oil and coconut milk at most well-stocked health food stores; however, you can also purchase coconut flour and coconut oil online.
coconut flour cake
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 12 eggs
- 2 cups coconut milk
- up to 3/4 cup honey
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp coconut extract
- 1/2 tsp orange extract
- 2 cups coconut flour (available here
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp unrefined sea salt
- coconut oil for greasing the pan
For the Frosting
- 2 cups coconut spread available here
- 1/2 cup virgin coconut oil available here
- up to 1/3 cup honey
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp coconut extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Beat a dozen eggs, two cups coconut milk and up to three-quarters of a cup of honey together with vanilla, coconut and orange extracts until smooth, creamy and uniform in both color and texture.
- Dump two cups coconut flour, a half-teaspoon baking soda and a quarter teaspoon unrefined sea salt into the mixture of eggs, honey and extracts, and continue to beat until a smooth batter forms.
- Grease and flour two eight-inch cake tins.
- Pour, or spoon, the cake batter into the greased and floured tins, shaking them to even out the batter and smoothing it with the back of a spoon or with a rubber spatula.
- Bake in an oven preheated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about forty minutes, or until the cake separates from the sides of the tin and a toothpick inserted into the cake’s center comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool completely before removing from the tin and frosting with the coconut frosting below.
- Beat all ingredients for the frosting together until thoroughly combined.
- Refrigerate the frosting for five to ten minutes so that it stiffens a bit.
- Remove from the refrigerator, beat for about one minute.
- Frost your cake.
Is it possible to make an angelfood cake that is keto friendly with coconut flour?
Maybe google “Keto Angel Food Cake.” That said, if you can get an angel food cake to be “keto” I can all but guarantee you that you’ll need to use some pretty processed junk to do it.
Do I have to use the coconut extract? Not very fond of it. Thanks for the recipe
Sue
You could try and let us know how it goes.
Someone asked about using pineapple but I did not see a reply. If I used a 20 oz can fo crushed pineapple do you think I should only use half the milk or omit some of the eggs?